If you want to make the most of your outdoor living space, creating an outdoor living room is the perfect way to truly live, enjoy, and relax outdoors.
Planning Your Outdoor Living Room
Your outdoor living room should reflect how you want to live and spend your time in this fun gathering space. Consider how large it is and how many people you want to enjoy it, whether it will be just an intimate space for you alone, a small group of family and friends, or more extensive entertaining. Also be aware of the climate and typical weather so you can create an outdoor room to enjoy living in throughout the seasons.
Top 10 Features of an Outdoor Living Room
An outdoor living room can be anything you want it to be, and there are many amazing features you can incorporate into the space. The most popular options include…
- Seating – You will want a place to sit in your outdoor living room, whether it is more formal furniture, a casual hammock and loungers, or crazy piles of oversized pillows. Built-in benches can offer extra seating, as can oversized ottomans.
- Food – Whatever you’re doing outdoors, you’ll want snacks to keep up your energy. An outdoor living room could be adjacent to a complete outdoor kitchen, or may just have a smaller grill, bar area, or built-in cooler for handy treats.
- Lighting – Good lighting will help you make the most of this outdoor space in the evening and nighttime hours. Café-style lighting creates an intimate atmosphere, or consider an elegant chandelier for extra luxury. Both ambient and direct lighting options can be useful.
- Surfaces – Any outdoor living space needs a variety of surfaces to set down drinks and dishes, set up board games, act as impromptu footstools, or hold phones and other gear. Coffee tables, side tables, bar counters, and other spaces are all great choices.
- Fire – The flickering flames of a firepit or larger fireplace can add dynamic life to an outdoor living room. Fire is also practical for light and warmth, and you can choose torches, columns, or other options to define the space with fantastic flames.
- Comfort – Depending on your climate, different features can ensure comfort whenever you use your outdoor living room. A ceiling fan or shades can be useful in summer, or you may want freestanding heaters in winter. Roofing provides shade and protection from rain or snow.
- Television – Whether you want an outdoor movie night, a bold space to enjoy the big game, or somewhere fun to binge watch your favorite shows, adding a television to an outdoor living room can make it a more useful and practical space.
- Games – Add fun and activity to the living space with integrated games. Depending on what you like to play, this might be space for a card table or ping pong, a built-in bocce ball court, or an adjacent badminton or volleyball space.
- Privacy – Protect your outdoor living space with privacy barriers that will block sight and dull ambient sounds. A fence or trellis can be ideal, or consider tall shrubbery or outdoor drapes for different styles.
- Outdoor Décor – Add personal flair to the space with artwork, rugs, wall accents, and other details. This is a great way to customize a space of any size and shape, and gives you plenty of flexibility as your style changes.
Whatever you choose for your outdoor living room, design the space for your needs and preferences. This may mean space for a yoga mat or exercise gear, a setting for an art easel or craft workspace, a sound system for your favorite tunes, or comfy furniture for an indulgent outdoor nap. Whatever life you want, your outdoor living room can help you live it!
